Registration and Morning Refreshments

Conference Center Lobby and Atrium

Opening Remarks

Room 208 (Auditorium)

James Grant, Chief Information Officer, State of Florida

Keynote

Room 208 (Auditorium)

Think Inside the Box - “Creativity Within the Lines”

David Kwong, Illusionist, Movie Consultant, New York Times Crossword Writer

In this spellbinding talk, David Kwong explores the complex relationship between boundaries and productivity. Though it may seem counterintuitive, most people are at their most creative when they innovate within a given set of boundaries. How can you tell a clever story while obeying the construction rules of a crossword puzzle, the three-act structure of a screenplay, or the sensitive angles of a stage illusion?

Kwong, a master of working within the lines, explains how constraints give us the freedom to create. We are at our most innovative when we design a new form for something familiar, and subsequently express it in a novel and compelling way. Kwong demonstrates some of his own groundbreaking puzzles and illusions by way of inspiring a new method of problem solving.

Bits & Bytes

Room 208 (Auditorium)

How to Keep IT In Sync with the Business

If there is a silver lining to tough times, it’s that government organizations are driven to unearth and cast aside deep-rooted ways of operating. IT is often expected to lead the charge in finding creative ways to increase efficiencies, improve business processes, and reduce costs. It can be challenging to get everyone on-board. This session focuses on how to understand difficulties, utilize emotional intelligence, transform mindsets, and build buy-in.

Moderator: Phil Bertolini, Senior Vice President, Government Technology

Shandra McGlohon, IT Policy Coordinator, Executive Office of the Governor, Office of Policy & Budget, State of Florida

Networking Break

Atrium

Concurrent Sessions

Cross-boundary Collaboration

Room 103 (1st Floor)

Recent years have provided a lesson to government worth it’s weight in gold. This is not the time to go it alone, it is a time to partner and share resources. There is a wealth of knowledge to be found in other departments, agencies, neighboring governments and partners. Why work alone? Why reinvent the wheel? This session features real-world collaborative successes that saved time, money and effort.

Moderator: Phil Bertolini, Senior Vice President, Government Technology

Glenda Atkinson, Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Tim Paydos, Vice President, Government Strategy, IBM

Susan Whitmire, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology, Florida Gaming Council Commission

Change is Inevitable

Room 214 (2nd Floor)

If there is a silver lining to tough times, it’s that government organizations are driven to unearth and cast aside deep-rooted, outmoded ways of operating. Not surprisingly, IT is often expected to lead the charge in finding creative ways to increase efficiencies, improve business processes, and reduce costs. But it can be challenging to get everyone aboard. This session focuses on how to work with your team and your partners to embrace change for the future.

Moderator: Hansa Bernal, National Conference Director, Government Technology

Robert Hamilton, Senior Solutions Engineer, T-Mobile

Russell Haupert, Chief Technology Officer, Technology & Innovation, City of Tampa

MacLean Ryan, Senior System Engineer, Snowflake

It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear

Room 114 (1st Floor)

IT is front and center in virtually everything that government does. Success – and survival – depends on being adept at winning friends and influencing people. Not just your immediate colleagues, but upper leadership, budget directors, legislators and service providers. It’s all for naught if you can’t convey things in the right way. This session dives into the vital subject of communication and why it must be the cornerstone of your role as an IT executive.

Moderator: James Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Florida Technology Council

Patrick Gillespie, Deputy Secretary of Business Operations, Office of the Secretary, Department of Management Services, State of Florida

Wendy Ling, Chief Information Officer, Department of Corrections, State of Florida

Warren Sponholtz, Chief Information Officer, Department of Environmental Protection, State of Florida

Lunch

Room 208 (Auditorium)

IT Leadership Awards

Room 208 (Auditorium)

Applaud the winners of the IT Leadership Forum Awards. This award program honors outstanding public sector IT leaders in the State of Florida.

Concurrent Sessions

You Are a Leader – Now What?

Room 103 (1st Floor)

In every organization there are those that lead and those that follow. To be a good leader, you must also understand what it takes to be a good follower. Do you need to know how to perform every function? Do you have to do everything yourself? Delegation is an important skill when getting a quality team to get the job done. This session discusses how to get the most out of your team while building a high-performing organization.

Moderator: Phil Bertolini, Senior Vice President, Government Technology

Joey Hornsby, Director, Information Technology Services, Department of Law Enforcement, State of Florida

Scott McPherson, Senior Fellow, Government Technology

Michelle Taylor, Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, Leon County Government

The Paradox of the New Workforce

Room 214 (2nd Floor)

Does your team have all the personnel and skills you could ever desire? Do you feel unequivocally sure that you can attract and retain the talent you need going forward? If you answered yes to both questions…well…no one will believe you! Today, workforce issues rival cybersecurity as the #1 source of anxiety and lost sleep. The modern workplace culture requires strong succession planning to build the leaders of tomorrow. This session provokes thoughts, spurs ideas and examines the organizational cultures that will impact governments for years to come.

Moderator: Hansa Bernal, National Conference Director, Government Technology

Love Anderson, Manager, Human Capital & Higher Education, Deloitte

Eric Brown, Chief Information Officer, Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, State of Florida

Networking Break

Atrium

General Session

Room 208 (Auditorium)

Leading in Extraordinary Times

Among the most annoying of buzzwords is “new normal.” Probably because there is no such thing. The only thing we can really count on is more change. Emerging from the pandemic is just one facet of the ongoing challenges we face. There are many more, including employee burnout, recruitment & retention, shifting expectations and technology disruption. This panel discussion assesses where we stand, what to prioritize, and how to lead the way to a brighter future.

Moderator: Hansa Bernal, National Conference Director, Government Technology

Phil Bertolini, Senior Vice President, Government Technology

Jamie Grant, Chief Information Officer, State of Florida

Scott McPherson, Senior Fellow, Government Technology

Interactive Networking Session

Room 208 (Auditorium)

Networking Reception

Atrium

End of Conference

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.